February 27, 2026
Reader Success Story: Disney World Adventure
Pam
This reader success story comes from Crystal all about her recent Disney World adventure! Here is her story:
We just came back from our very first Disney trip two weeks ago—booked almost entirely on points and miles—and I have you ladies to thank! I’ve never been a “Disney person” (I had actually never been at all), but after listening to one of your older podcast episodes about a Disney adventure, I thought, why not bite the bullet? My toddler absolutely loves the Disney characters, and I felt like I owed it to her to experience the magic. The only problem? Disney is expensive. That’s where points and miles came in—and this is where it got fun.
I started by looking at a Disney Cruise for December 2025 and stumbled upon an incredible deal: a four-night/five-day cruise in a guaranteed veranda room for three people for just $2,100 out the door. I happened to catch it during a specials week, and it felt like a total steal.
Disney World on Points
Once the cruise was booked, we decided to go all in and spend a day at Disney World beforehand. Since the ship sails from Fort Lauderdale, we planned to visit Disney World first. I initially looked at other Hilton properties in Orlando, but then I spotted the Waldorf Astoria Orlando (because I do love to be a little bougie). It’s connected to the Hilton Signia, which has a water park and provides free transportation to the Disney parks—perfect.
Using Hilton Honors points through my Hilton Amex card, I booked a two-night stay for 190,000 points and received a $200 resort credit. Even better, our toddler ate free at the on-property restaurants, so we didn’t pay for meals at all. Because the stay was entirely on points, we avoided resort fees—making it essentially free. Because we had Hilton Honors ™ Gold Status from our American Express Platinum Card®, we were upgraded to a park-view room with incredible views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks. We were absolutely thrilled.
Flights
For flights, I booked three multi-city Delta tickets using my Delta SkyMiles—DTW to MCO for Disney World, then flying home from Fort Lauderdale after the cruise. The total? Just 71,400 Delta miles for all three of us, plus $44 in taxes. I even snagged Comfort+ seats for everyone—total win.
To get from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale, we rented a car using my Chase Ultimate Rewards® for just 4,000 points. Before the cruise, we stayed one night at a Disney Cruise Line–selected hotel, the Marriott Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort & Spa, for 19,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards®. There was a $55 resort fee, but thanks to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card’s hotel credit, I got $50 back, which meant our out-of-pocket cost was just $5.
This entire Disney adventure came together using points and miles, saving us over $4,000 and turning what felt like an impossible trip into a stress-free, magical experience for our family. I truly couldn’t have done it without everything I’ve learned from you ladies. Thank you so much for the inspiration and knowledge—you helped make this unforgettable trip happen for my family.
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